Over 130 cycles ago, Bishan helped to depose Rygel while he was sleeping, and ascended the throne of his home planet, Hyneria.

Rygel found himself being transported on Moya, a Peacekeeper prison transport Leviathan, and attained the codes to free himself and the other prisoners, thus leading to their escape.

Vowing to return to Hyneria and rectify his cousin's betrayal and retake the throne, Dominar Rygel XVI tries to persuade his fellow escapees, especially the Luxan Warrior, Ka D'Argo to help him.

While aboard Scorpius' command carrier, Dominar Rygel XVI learned that Bishan's rule was in disarray and is hopeful that if he returned to Hyneria, he would be able to easily retake his throne.

A cycle later, Bishan sent a holographic message to Rygel that reached him aboard Moya during the height of the ongoing intergalactic war raging between the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers. Bishan pled for Rygel to return to his home planet of Hyneria and help to unite the over 16 billion subjects he now ruled.

Rygel considered the request and chose to return to his home planet after the completion of the war. Bishan, however, had chose to renege on his earlier promise to Rygel and instead posted a bounty on his cousin's head. His true plan, however, was to lure Rygel to Hyneria, where Bishan would be able to take him prisoner. The plan was successful, as Bishan had Rygel's ex-wife Mmyna convince Rygel that he had supporters who could help him overthrow Bishan. Rygel arrived with his ship mates Chiana and Ka Jothee, but Bishan appeared personally to take his cousin into custody and brought aboard his flagship.

Bishan had his cousin imprisoned on Hyneria for a short time, before moving him to a Peacekeeper vessel, along with any others Bishan considered a threat to his power, including Mmyna and General Turralde, with instructions to sell them to someone and somewhere which Bishan would never have to worry about them.

His plans soon began to unravel, however, when Rygel escaped imprisonment and hijacked the Peacekeeper vessel, sending out a summons to any Hynerians still loyal to him. After a number of ships came to his aid, Rygel's forces simultaneously attacked Hyneria's third moon as well as Bishan Base on the outskirts of the system. Furious at this attack, Bishan split Hyneria's home forces to both locations, ignoring the suggestions of his new adviser Scorpius and leaving the capital vulnerable. Scorpius' suspicions proved to be correct as the attacks were merely a diversion away from another assault on the capital itself. Rygel and his people easily entered the palace, holding Bishan and his people at gunpoint. Though Bishan tried to negotiate with his usurped cousin, Rygel was beyond talk and punched his treacherous cousin unconscious. Bishan's reign of over 100 cycles had finally reached its end.